When he had read the inscription upon the tomb, he
ordered it to be cut in Greek letters also. The inscription ran as
follows: "O man, whosoever thou art, and whencesoever thou comest--for
I know that thou shalt come--I am Cyrus, who won the empire for the
Persians. I pray thee, do not grudge me this little earth that
covereth my body." These words made a deep impression upon Alexander,
and caused him to meditate upon the uncertainty and changefulness of
human affairs. About this time, Kalanus, who had for some days been
suffering from some internal disorder, begged that a funeral pile
might be erected for him. He rode up to it on horseback, said a
prayer, poured a libation for himself and cut off a lock of his own
hair, as is usual at a sacrifice, and then, mounting the pile, shook
hands with those Macedonians who were present, bidding them be of good
cheer that day, and drink deep at the king's table. He added, that he
himself should shortly see the king at Babylon. Having spoken thus he
lay down and covered himself over. He did not move when the fire
reached him, but remained in the same posture until he was consumed,
thus sacrificing himself to the gods after the manner of the Indian
philosophers. Many years afterwards another Indian, a friend of Caesar,
did the like in the city of Athens; and at the present day his
sepulchre is shown under the name of "the Indian's tomb.
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